Ribbonfish

Ribbonfish are a group of deep-sea animals. They belong to the family Trachipteridae. This family includes about 10 recognized species. These are pelagic fish, meaning they live in the open ocean. They are not bottom feeders. Instead, they inhabit the water column. They are named for their very slim, ribbon-like bodies. People rarely see them alive in their natural habitat. This is because they typically live in very deep waters.

The anatomy of a ribbonfish is very distinct. They have long, compressed bodies that look like tape. Their heads are short with narrow mouths. Their teeth are considered feeble or weak. A high dorsal fin runs the entire length of their back. They do not have an anal fin. The caudal fin, or tail fin, may consist of two fascicles of rays. Often, the upper ray is prolonged and points upward. Their pectoral fins are small. The pelvic fins can have several rays or just one long ray.

Ribbonfish possess specialized features for life at great depths. Their skin has numerous lumps on it. They also have heavy spines along their lateral lines. Their fins and the membranes connecting them are very delicate. These structures are often brittle. In young ribbonfish, some fin-rays grow to an extraordinary length. Sometimes, these rays even have extra appendages. These traits help them survive in the deep, dark parts of the ocean.

These fish are found in many different parts of the world. Specimens have been recorded in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. They also live in the Bay of Bengal and near Mauritius. Some species inhabit the Pacific Ocean. In the North Atlantic, they live near Iceland, Scandinavia, Orkney, and Scotland. The North Atlantic species has several different names. In English, it is called the deal fish. In Iceland, it is known as vogmær. In Sweden, the name is vågmär.

Ribbonfish can reach impressive sizes. Most specimens grow to be between 5 and 8 feet long. Some individuals can grow to be over 20 feet in length. They are often driven toward the shore by winter gales. Sometimes the tide leaves them behind on the beach. One observer, S. Nilsson, saw a living specimen in Scandinavia. He saw it in only 4 to 5 meters of water. He noted that it moved like a flatfish. It moved with one side turned obliquely upward.

One specific species has a very interesting reputation. The Trachipterus ishikawae is found in Taiwan. People there call it the "earthquake fish." This name comes from a popular belief. People think these fish are sensitive to disturbances on the ocean floor. They believe the fish appear after major earthquakes occur. Records show sightings in Hengchun in late 2006. Sightings also happened in Taitung in 2007. Many were seen along the coast of Japan in March 2011.

However, the connection to earthquakes is not always certain. Not every sighting corresponds with seismic disturbances. Scientists must look at all recorded sightings to find patterns. It is important to note that another fish is sometimes confused with them. The red bandfish is a perciform fish. It is sometimes called a ribbonfish by mistake. However, it is not related to the Trachipteridae family. This shows how important correct scientific classification is for understanding ocean life.